KPLC-TV
gxhcch z jz xbzzh h,vxhhnxi '''KPLC is an NBC affiliate licensed to Lake Charles, Louisiana; also serving Lafayette, Louisiana, broadcasting on analog ch. 7. It's owned by Raycom Media, with transmitter facilities located in Fenton, Louisiana. History of KPLC KPLC-TV began broadcasting in the summer of 1954. Owner T.B. Lanford of Shreveport had previously signed on KPLC-AM radio & was eager to expand into TV. The station was later purchased by a St. Louis group headed by investor Elliot Stien. He visited KPLC frequently along with his friend, St. Louis Cardinals baseball legend Stan Musial. In 1970, G. Russell Chambers purchased KPLC-TV from the St. Louis group & dramatically increased the station's coverage by adding a 1,500 foot tower, providing a quality signal for the NBC affiliate as far north as Leesville, as far east as Lafayette & to the Gulf of Mexico. FCC regulations required that the radio stations be sold. Perry Sanders purchased the AM/FM combo & changed it's call letters to KLCL. In 1986, Cosmos Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Liberty Life Insurance Company, took over. KPLC was one of the first TV stations in the US to launch it's own website in the 1990s. In 2004, KPLC began broadcasting in DT as well as analog with the launch of KPLC-DT. Later in the year the station launched it's 1st local 24-hour weather channel, "KPLC Wx+." Simultaneously, the station launched a service specifically for cellphones & PDA's, "7 On Your Cell." In January 2006, Liberty & KPLC were purchased by Raycom Media, which also owns 2 other Louisiana TV stations, KSLA in Shreveport & WAFB in Baton Rouge. KPLC is consistently 1 of the nation's most watched TV stations, ranking among the top 5 Nielsen-rated stations nationally throughout the year. KPLC 7 News Team *Cynthia Arceneaux (7 News Live @ 5, @ 6 & Nightcast Lead Anchor) *Marty Briggs (7 News @ 6 & Nightcast News Anchor) *John Bridges (7 News Sunrise News Anchor) *Britney Glaser (7 News Sunrise News Anchor & Healthcast Reporter) *Lee Peck (7 News Weekend Anchor & Nightside Reporter Weeknights) *Evan Johnson (7 News Sunrise Reporter, Today Show Newsbreak Anchor & Fill-in Anchor) *Theresa Schmidt (General Assignment & Environment Reporter) *Wade Hampton (7 Storm Team Chief Meteorologist - 5, 6 & Nightcast) *Kellie Hutchinson (7 Storm Team Meteorologist - 7 News Sunrise & @ Noon) *Jeff Jumper (7 Storm Team Meteorologist - Weekends) Former News Team Members *Danica Abraham (General Assignments Reporter) - Left KPLC in 2007 - now @ KADN in Lafayette, LA *Curtis Atkinson (7 Storm Team Chief Meteorologist) - Left KPLC in June 2008 - Moved to Alabama *Vince Atkinson (Nightcast Reporter) - Left KPLC in 2007, now a reporter @ KSAN-TV in San Angelo, TX *Pam Dixon (Noon News Anchor & Education Reporter) - Left KPLC in 2007 - Became an educator @ the Lake Charles-Boston Academy of Learning *Rhonda Kitchens (Reporter/Weekend News Anchor) - Left KPLC in 2007 - Moved to California then back to Lake Charles; Now working @ KYKZ-FM *Garrett Lumpkin (Sports Anchor) - Left KPLC in 2007 - No word on his leaving *Jerry Modene (Weekend Anchor/Weather; host "Louisiana Today"; co-host "Midday") - with KPLC from 1977-1981, now resides in Las Vegas *Laila Morcos (Sunrise News Anchor & Healthcast Reporter) - Left KPLC in 2007, now a reporter @ WGNO in New Orleans *David Paul (Meteorologist) Currently in same position @ KHOU-TV in Houston *Jordan Sandler (Sports Reporter) - Left KPLC in 2007 - Moved to South Carolina *Liberty Schauf (Noon & 5 PM Producer) - Left KPLC in 2007 - No word on her leaving Trivia * In March 2004 while workers were installing a new transmission tower in high winds, the old transmission tower fell, causing a service disruption lasting about 2 weeks to over-the-air viewers in Southwest Louisiana. Service to cable customers was not interrupted due to the station's signal being delivered by fiber lines. A lower-power temporary tower was erected on top the station's broadcast studios a couple of days after the tower fell, allowing viewers within a few miles of the station to again receive the signal over-the-air. * During Hurricane Rita, which struck in September 2005, the station delivered around-the-clock news from a temporary, makeshift studio in a safer location than it's normal studios in downtown Lake Charles. * Game show announcer & host Bob Hilton started his career @ KPLC. External links *KPLC, 7 News' Website